The purpose of Bill S.1798 is to insure that, after Pilgrim shuts down, there will be money available for a complete and timely decommissioning of the site to protect the economic interests of the Commonwealth. It would require Pilgrim, and any other commercial nuclear reactor in the Commonwealth, to pay an annual $25,000,000 post-closure funding fee. The fee will be placed in a trust fund in the office of the State Treasurer.

Bill S.1797: Establishing a fee on the storage of spent nuclear fuel in pools.

S.1797 gives towns the money they need to protect themselves from the risks that nuclear power plants presents (e.g., security and emergency planning/preparedness). It also provides the State with security in response to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s plans to allow spent nuclear fuel to be stored in Pilgrim’s on-site spent fuel pool until June of 2092 – 60 years after Pilgrim’s license expires or the plant shuts down. S.1797 also reduces the risk of a spent fuel accident by creating an incentive for plant owners to reduce the amount of nuclear waste stored in their spent fuel pools.

Please consider writing your own testimony for each of the two bills. Submit your written comments to the contacts listed above. It can be as simple as asking the committee chairs to support the bills.

Hearing dates for these two bills will be set soon; consider attending a hearing. Check back for dates soon.

Encourage your elected officials and friends to do the same.

Learn about other important nuclear safety bills pending in the state house; click HERE.